Method of fixing metallic relief horological figures to a metallic watch dial plate



Aug. 7, 1962 METHOD OF FIXING METALLIC RELIEF HOROLOGICAL FIGURES TO AMETALLIC WATCH DIAL PLATE Filed April 11, 1960 3 M 1/5 4 TOR 8 HANSSCHNEIDER GILBERT FLL ER United States 3,047,942 METHOD OF FIXINGMETALLIC RELIEF H0110- LOGICAL FIGURES TO A METALLIC WATCH DIAL PLATEHans Schneider, 23a Eplat-Jaune, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, andGilbert Feller, Le Locle, Switzerland; said Feller assignor to MetalemS.A., Le Locle (Neuchatel), Switzerland Filed Apr. 11, 1960, Ser. No.21,297 Claims priority, application Switzerland Apr. 13, 1959 3 Claims.(Cl. 29-470) When applying metallic relief horological figures to ametallic Watch dial by electrical resistance welding it is well known inthe art that the molten metal of one of the two parts to be assembledsquirts out beyond the base of the figu-re, thereby forming rolls, padsor beards around the figure which impair the esthetical appearance.

'It has been tried to overcome this drawback by providing one of the twoparts to be assembled with one or more protrusions the surface ofcontact of which is smaller than the base of said figure and the otherof the two parts with a recess or recesses dimensioned to receive saidprotrusion or protrusions with a certain lateral play. Thereby therolls, pads or beards which are formed at the welding are expected tofind place in the space thus formed between the protrusion and the wallsof the recess.

The present invention has for its main object the provision of a methodpennitting applying of relief horological figures of metal to themetallic dial of a watch without any formation of pads, rolls or beardsspoiling the appearance and also without any deteriorating effect on anyinsulating layer which may have been applied onto one or both of theparts to be assembled, for example the lacquer enamel layer which isusually provided to the outer surface of watch dials.

To this end the method of the present invention is characterized by thefact that the elements are fixed to the support by applying ultrasonicwaves.

This method presents the great advantage that it permits to apply reliefelements, e.g. dial figures, decorations, trademarks, symbols, pins etc.to a support such as a watch dial for example in terminated state, i.e.polished, lapidated, cham-fered or the like or also vaulted when forexample horological figures are concerned which shall be secured toalready bellied dials.

Moreover this method has the advantage that it requires no specialprevious preparation of the support for receiving the relief figures asthis is required for example by the provision of the recesses mentionedin the known afore described process.

Finally this method also affords for the applying of figures made ofelectrically non-conducting material to watch dials which also arenon-conductive electrically.

The method of the invention shall now be described in more detail by wayof example in the following description in which reference will be madeto the accompanying drawings showing several embodiments of reliefelements for carrying out this method. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates, in perspective view and partially in section ahorological relief figure placed against a watch dial previous to theassembling of these two parts.

FIG. 2 shows, in perspective view, the surface to be fixed to a dialplate of another embodiment of a horological figure.

FIG. 3 illustrates, in a view similar to that of FIG. 2, a thirdembodiment of a horologioal figure.

FIG. 4 shows, still in a view similar to that of FIG. 2, a fourthembodiment of a horological figure.

FIGS. 5a and 5b are a perspective and sectional view respectively of theend face which shall be fixed to a watch dial in order that the lattermay be secured thereby to the plate or to a part of the case of a watch.

FIGS. 6a and 6b finally show perspective and sectional viewsrespectively similar to those of FIGS. 5a, 5b showing another embodimentof the end face of a pin for a watch dial.

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the method of applying thehorological figures to the watch dial.

In FIGS. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing the relief elements areshown as horological figures 1 and the support to which these elementsshall be fixed by the method of the invention is represented as a dialplate 2 shown in FIG. 1. On its surface which will contact the dialplate 2 the element 1 of FIG. 1 is provided with a rib or vein 3extending in longitudinal direction over the whole length of theelement. Of course it would also be possible, according to thedimensions of the element to provide the latter with two or more suchribs which also could extend in transverse direction of the element orthere could be provided ribs in both directions. In the embodiment ofFIG. 2 the relief element 1 is provided with several points 3. Thesepoints could be replaced by bosses. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 3 the relief element 1 has its surface facing the support to whichit shall be fixed formed with a row of ribs or edges 3 extendingparallelly in transverse direction of the element while FIG. 4 shows anembodiment of the element 1 which in addition to the transverse ribs ofFIG. 3 has a row of parallel ribs extending in longitudinal directionformed in it so that its surface destined to be fixed to the support 2is covered with points as is clearly visible from FIG. 4. Finally itwould be possible to provide the surface of the element 1 which willcome into contact with the support with other means providingprotrusions thereon. It could for example be scored, scratched orstriated, milled or knurled.

For fixing or applying either one of the illustrated and describedrelief elements 1 to the support 2 according to the invention it isplaced with its surface provided with the protrusions 3 against thesupport 2 as shown in FIG. 1 whereafter an ultrasonic Wave source isapplied to the element and simultaneously the support is pressed againstthe element by means of an inert mass, shown in FIG. 7. There isproduced thereby a molecular burst which intimately assembles thesupport 2 and the element 1 in a fixing which is similar to thatobtained by the conventional resistance Welding but which is free fromthe drawbacks inherent in the latter as mentioned above.

It is evident that the above described method can also be used to securethe fastening members, for example pins to the watch dial for fasteningthe latter to the plate or to parts of the casing of a watch. In thelatter case it is the terminal or end face of the usually cylindricalpins which shall be secured to the dial plate which forms the supportwhich is provided with protrusions and preferably these are formed by acircular peripheral rib 3 as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b or even by severalconcentrical circular ribs 3 as shown by FIGS. 6a and 6b.

We claim:

1. A method of fixing a small metal symbol to a lacquer enamel coatedwatch dial plate, comprising the steps of placing the metal symbol overthe coating on the watch dial plate, placing an inert mass against theback of the watch dial plate, pressing the symbol against the Watch dialplate and vibrating the symbol on the watch dial at an ultrasonicfrequency to firmly secure it to the dial plate through the lacquerenamel coating.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which said relief figures areprovided with protrusions on one side thereof, and said one side isplaced against the watch dial plate.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the protrusions are providedby striating the said one side of the metallic relief figure.

(References on following page) 3 4 References Cited in the file of thispatent 2,761,198 Stern Sept. 4, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,985,954Jones y 1961 2,522,082 Arnold Sept. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,606,418Fluckiger Aug. 12, 1952 5 332,881 Switzerland Nov. 15, 1958 2,651,148Carwile Sept. 8, 1953

